Our 13-year-old son says he’s too old for a kids’ club, but I still think he’d like to make some new friends while we’re on holiday. Is there another way that he can meet other children his age?

Older kids can sometimes feel left out on holiday. They’re not quite ready to be totally independent but they don’t really want to hang out with younger children. That’s why we decided to introduce our CREW programme, for children aged 11 and upwards. In terms of what’s on offer, it will run on similar lines to our kids’ clubs, but will be specifically targeted at older kids. Often, they just need an adult there to supervise while they’re socialising. There’s a wide range of fun stuff tailored to teens and tweens on offer, from paddle-boarding, rounders and volleyball. In some resorts, they will also have access to tennis or golf coaching with pros. The Crew Leaders who run the CREW programme are also qualified sports instructors. They are experienced with working with older kids and really know how to engage with them and interact with them.

We’re taking our five-year-old and eight-year-old to Thailand this summer and I’m concerned about the mosquito situation. I want to get a spray that’s effective but at the same time I’ve read that repellents that are very high in DEET can be unsafe, especially for children. What would you advise?

I totally understand people worrying about mosquitoes – they can really ruin a holiday. And I know there has been some concern about DEET products, though most makers claim they’re perfectly safe for children from six months up. If it is something you’re wary about, one non-DEET product I’ve heard good things about is Avon Skin So Soft dry oil body spray with citronella. Whether you go down a more natural route or stick with DEET products is a personal decision, but the one thing I would say is that in countries like Thailand where there are mosquitoes you will need to apply some kind of repellent – and products containing DEET are by far the most effective. It’s also a good idea to take local advice on where and when mosquitoes are most active.